Opinions & Interviews

MOSCOW, 30 June (BelTA) – Russia would like to increase the number of mutually beneficial projects with Belarus, Russia President Vladimir Putin said at the plenary meeting of the 4^th Forum of Regions of Belarus and Russia on 30 June, BelTA informs.

The Russian president stressed that Belarus and Russia are developing bilateral relations virtually in all areas relying on a solid foundation of friendship and neighborhood, and regional ties are the most important ingredient. “Our example stimulates the work with colleagues in the CIS, EAEU, and CSTO,” he said.

The majority of Russian regions maintain close cooperation with Belarusian regions, including on the basis of bilateral agreements on cooperation, implement projects at the interregional level as well as projects of chambers of commerce and industry, research centers, enterprises. “I think that together we have managed to build an efficient structure of cooperation. It creates a reliable foundation for bolstering business activities, raising the inflow of money to the economies of the two countries,” Vladimir Putin said.

In 2016, the volume of investments from Russia to Belarus reached $4 billion, foreign direct investments accounted for a major part of them. The Russian business invests in the Belarusian transport, processing industry. Belarus, in turn, invested in the agricultural industry, retail trade, pharmaceutics in Russia. The most active partners of Belarus are Moscow, St. Petersburg, Moscow Oblast, Pskov Oblast, Smolensk Oblast and other regions. The cooperation with Russia’s Far East is increasingly vibrant. One of the examples is a joint project to build a modern agrotown in Sakhalin Oblast. “We hope that the number of such mutually beneficial projects will be on the rise,” Vladimir Putin stressed.

“Russia is prepared for close cooperation with Belarusian regions aimed at ensuring sustainable long-term growth of our economies, is ready to build the industrial and technological policy together, develop the infrastructure, promote the formation of the comfortable business environment,” the Russian president concluded.